Assassin’s Creed is beloved for its historical settings, stealth, parkour, action combat, and memorable protagonists.
From the rooftops of the Holy Land to the seas of the Caribbean, the sands of Egypt, Viking England, and feudal Japan, Ubisoft’s flagship series has changed shape many times while keeping its core fantasy alive.
TL;DR – Assassin’s Creed Games Ranked
- Assassin’s Creed
- Assassin’s Creed Unity
- Assassin’s Creed III
- Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
- Assassin’s Creed Rogue
- Assassin’s Creed Mirage
- Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
- Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
- Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
- Assassin’s Creed II
- Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
- Assassin’s Creed Origins
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows
- Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
- Which Assassin’s Creed games rank highest?
One of the best video game series of all time, Assassin’s Creed has been praised for its historical worlds, stealth systems, cinematic combat, parkour, strong protagonists, and constant reinvention.
Some entries are focused city-based stealth games. Others are huge action RPGs with loot, choices, naval exploration, settlements, or mythological storylines.
So, which Assassin’s Creed game is the best in the entire saga? Below, we rank the core mainline entries from good to best. Remakes and special cases are discussed separately, because it would not be fair to rank a rebuilt version of an existing game as if it were a brand-new mainline chapter.
Assassin’s Creed
Average Playtime: Around 15 hours
Rating: 81/100
The original Assassin’s Creed is not a bad game, but compared to later entries it feels like a prototype for everything the series would become. It introduced the Animus, hidden blades, social stealth, viewpoint climbing, historical assassinations, and the core idea of moving through famous cities from the rooftops.
The Holy Land setting is still atmospheric, especially if you enjoy the more grounded tone of early Assassin’s Creed. Jerusalem, Acre, and Damascus feel distinct, and the major assassination targets give the game a strong structure.
The issue is repetition. To reach each assassination, players repeat similar investigation tasks such as eavesdropping, pickpocketing, interrogating, and climbing towers. The parkour is impressive for 2007, but the mission variety is limited.
It ranks low because nearly every sequel improves on its pacing, characters, combat, and world design. Still, it deserves respect for creating the blueprint.
Assassin's Creed
Release Date: April 09, 2008
Genres: Platform, Adventure
Why It Ranks Here
- It created the core Assassin’s Creed identity.
- The Holy Land setting still feels unique.
- The assassination targets are memorable.
- The structure becomes repetitive faster than in later games.
FAQ – Assassin’s Creed
Is the first Assassin’s Creed still worth playing?
Yes, especially if you want to understand where the series began. Just expect a slower, more repetitive structure than later entries.
Is Assassin’s Creed important to the overall story?
Yes. It introduces the Animus, Altaïr, Desmond, and the Assassin-Templar conflict that shapes the early franchise.
Assassin’s Creed Unity
Average Playtime: Around 17 hours
Rating: 72/100
Assassin’s Creed Unity is remembered for its rough launch, but the patched version is far easier to appreciate. Revolution-era Paris remains one of the most impressive cities Ubisoft has ever built, full of crowds, interiors, landmarks, churches, and tight rooftop routes.
Unity is at its best when it lets you plan assassinations. The black box missions offer multiple approaches, and the improved parkour gives the city a fluid sense of movement. Paris feels designed for stealth, climbing, escapes, and infiltration.
Arno’s story is dramatic and stylish, but it does not push the wider Assassin’s Creed lore forward as strongly as the best entries. The romance and revenge plot work well enough, though the main conflict lacks the emotional pull of Ezio’s journey.
Unity ranks here because it is uneven. Its city design and stealth ideas are excellent, but its reputation, story, and systems never fully come together.
Assassin's Creed Unity
Release Date: November 13, 2014
Genres: Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Why It Ranks Here
- Paris is one of the best cities in the franchise.
- Black box assassinations make stealth more flexible.
- The parkour system is stylish and physical.
- The story and launch issues keep it from ranking higher.
FAQ – Assassin’s Creed Unity
Is Assassin’s Creed Unity better now than at launch?
Yes. Patches and stronger modern hardware make Unity much easier to enjoy today, especially for players who value city stealth and parkour.
Does Assassin’s Creed Unity have good stealth?
Yes. Its black box missions and dense Paris map make it one of the better stealth-focused entries in the series.
Assassin’s Creed III
Average Playtime: Around 16 hours
Rating: 85/100
Assassin’s Creed III closes Desmond Miles’ original present-day storyline and moves the historical action to Colonial America. You play as Ratonhnhaké:ton, also known as Connor Kenway, during the American Revolution.
The game is ambitious. It adds hunting, frontier exploration, tree climbing, homestead activities, and early naval combat. Those ship missions were especially important, because they became the foundation for Black Flag.
Connor is a serious and reserved protagonist, which made him a difficult follow-up after Ezio. His story has weight, but it does not have the same warmth or charm as the Renaissance trilogy.
Assassin’s Creed III ranks here because it has big ideas but uneven pacing. It is important to the franchise, yet not always as enjoyable moment to moment as the games above it.
Assassin's Creed III: Remastered
Release Date: March 29, 2019
Genres: Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Why It Ranks Here
- It concludes Desmond’s main arc.
- It introduces systems that shape later games.
- Connor offers a more serious protagonist.
- The pacing and filler content hold it back.
FAQ – Assassin’s Creed III
Is Assassin’s Creed III necessary for Desmond’s story?
Yes. It is the final major chapter of Desmond’s original storyline, so it matters if you follow the early modern-day plot.
Did Assassin’s Creed III introduce naval combat?
Yes. It introduced naval missions that later became a major part of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
Average Playtime: Around 12-13 hours
Rating: 80/100
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations is the final chapter of Ezio’s trilogy. An older Ezio travels to Constantinople in search of keys connected to Altaïr and a hidden Assassin library.
The game works best as a farewell. Ezio is still charismatic, and the story connects his journey with Altaïr’s legacy in a way that gives both characters meaningful closure.
Mechanically, Revelations is very close to Brotherhood. The hookblade improves traversal, bombs add tactical options, and Constantinople provides a fresh setting, but the formula is not transformed.
It ranks here because it is enjoyable but less essential mechanically. As a story ending, however, it remains important for longtime fans.
Assassin's Creed: Revelations
Release Date: November 30, 2011
Genres: Adventure
Why It Ranks Here
- It gives Ezio and Altaïr strong closure.
- Constantinople is a rare and memorable setting.
- The hookblade improves movement.
- It feels more like an extension of Brotherhood than a full leap forward.
FAQ – Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
Should you play Assassin’s Creed II and Brotherhood before Revelations?
Yes. Revelations is built as the ending to Ezio’s story, so it works much better after the first two Ezio games.
Is Assassin’s Creed: Revelations very different from Brotherhood?
Not really. It adds the hookblade, bombs, and a new city, but the core structure is very similar.
Assassin’s Creed Rogue
Average Playtime: Around 10-11 hours
Rating: 72/100
Assassin’s Creed Rogue is one of the most unusual games in the series. Instead of playing a loyal Assassin, you control Shay Patrick Cormac, a former Brotherhood member who becomes a Templar.
That perspective shift is Rogue’s biggest strength. The game shows that the Assassin Brotherhood can be dangerous when its ideals are pursued recklessly. It adds useful moral complexity to a conflict that can sometimes feel too simple.
Rogue borrows heavily from Black Flag. Naval combat, ship upgrades, icy waters, and open exploration are all familiar, but the colder setting gives the game a sharper mood.
It ranks here because it is short and derivative in some systems, but its story angle is strong enough to make it stand out.
Assassin's Creed Rogue
Release Date: March 09, 2015
Genres: Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Why It Ranks Here
- It lets players experience the Templar side.
- Shay’s story adds nuance to the series.
- The naval gameplay is familiar but fun.
- It suffered from being released too close to Unity.
FAQ – Assassin’s Creed Rogue
Is Assassin’s Creed Rogue connected to Black Flag?
Yes. It shares many systems with Black Flag and fits into the broader Kenway-era storyline.
Do you play as a Templar in Assassin’s Creed Rogue?
Yes. Shay leaves the Assassins and joins the Templars, which makes Rogue one of the most unique entries in the franchise.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage
Average Playtime: Around 15 hours
Rating: 77/100
Assassin’s Creed Mirage began as a Valhalla expansion before becoming a standalone game. It follows Basim Ibn Ishaq in 9th-century Baghdad and focuses on his path into the Hidden Ones.
Mirage is smaller than Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla, and Shadows. That is the point. Instead of a huge RPG map, it returns to stealth, investigations, contracts, rooftop movement, and assassination planning.
Baghdad is compact but dense, making it better suited to classic Assassin’s Creed movement than many of the bigger RPG-era maps. Basim is also less dominant in open combat, so stealth feels more important.
Assassin's Creed Mirage
Release Date: October 05, 2023
Genres: Adventure
It ranks in the middle because it is a refreshing return to form, but not as ambitious or memorable as the best games in the series.
Why It Ranks Here
- It brings the series back toward classic stealth.
- Baghdad is dense and parkour-friendly.
- Basim connects Mirage to Valhalla’s story.
- Its smaller scale is refreshing but limited.
FAQ – Assassin’s Creed Mirage
Is Assassin’s Creed Mirage like the old Assassin’s Creed games?
Yes. Mirage is more focused on stealth, assassination contracts, parkour, and city exploration than the larger RPG entries.
Do you need to play Valhalla before Mirage?
Not strictly. Mirage works as Basim’s origin story, but Valhalla gives extra context for who he becomes later.
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
Average Playtime: Around 18-19 hours
Rating: 76/100
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate takes the series to Victorian London and introduces two playable protagonists: Jacob and Evie Frye. Their sibling dynamic gives the game more energy than many expected after Unity.
Jacob is louder, more impulsive, and better suited to gang fights. Evie feels closer to the traditional Assassin fantasy, with a stronger stealth identity. Switching between them gives the story a lighter, more playful rhythm.
London is full of factories, train stations, gang territories, wealthy districts, and historical figures. The grappling hook is divisive, but it makes sense in a city with wider streets and taller industrial architecture.
Syndicate ranks here because it is polished and fun, but not as influential as the series’ biggest turning points.
Assassin's Creed Syndicate
Release Date: November 19, 2015
Genres: Adventure
Why It Ranks Here
- Jacob and Evie create a strong dual-protagonist setup.
- Victorian London has a distinct style.
- The Rooks gang adds flavor to city liberation.
- The tone is fun, but the game is not a major reinvention.
FAQ – Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
Can you switch between Jacob and Evie in Syndicate?
Yes. The game lets you play both twins, although some missions are tied to a specific character.
Is Assassin’s Creed Syndicate more stealth or combat focused?
It supports both, but Evie leans more into stealth while Jacob is better suited to direct fights and gang activity.
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
Average Playtime: Around 23-24 hours
Rating: 88/100
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag drops much of the heavy tone of Assassin’s Creed III and turns the series into a pirate adventure across the Caribbean. It still has Assassin and Templar lore, but the real fantasy is clear: sail, fight, loot, explore, and build your legend as Edward Kenway.
Edward is one of the best protagonists in the series because he does not start as an Assassin. He is selfish, charming, reckless, and ambitious. Watching him slowly understand the Brotherhood’s ideals gives the story a strong personal arc.
The Jackdaw is the heart of the game. Upgrading your ship, boarding enemies, hunting treasure, diving for wrecks, and listening to sea shanties make Black Flag feel free in a way earlier entries did not.
It ranks high because it is both a strong Assassin’s Creed game and one of the best pirate games ever made.
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
Release Date: November 21, 2013
Genres: Platform, Adventure
Why It Ranks Here
- It delivers the best pirate fantasy in the series.
- Edward Kenway is a fantastic protagonist.
- Naval combat and ship upgrades are excellent.
- Some tailing missions are still frustrating.
FAQ – Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
Is Black Flag more of a pirate game than an Assassin’s Creed game?
In many ways, yes. It still uses Assassin’s Creed lore, but the naval exploration and pirate progression are the main attraction.
Is Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag good for new players?
Yes. Edward’s story is easy to follow, and the pirate setting works even if you are not deeply invested in the wider lore.
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
Average Playtime: Not clearly available
Rating: Not clearly available
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced deserves its own section, but not its own ranking placement yet. It is a remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag rather than a completely new mainline Assassin’s Creed game.
That still makes it important. Black Flag is one of the most beloved entries in the franchise, and Resynced is positioned as a modern way to experience Edward Kenway’s pirate adventure with updated visuals, smoother systems, and new content.
The reason it is not ranked separately is simple: rankings like this should measure the main games by their original impact, design, and legacy. The 2013 Black Flag changed what Assassin’s Creed could be by making naval exploration central to the whole experience. Resynced builds on that achievement instead of replacing it.
For new players, Resynced may become the best entry point into Black Flag once it is released and properly reviewed. For returning fans, it is worth watching because it promises a more modern version of one of the franchise’s strongest adventures.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced
Release Date: July 09, 2026
Genres: Adventure
Why It Is Included Separately
- It is a remake of one of the most popular Assassin’s Creed games.
- It may become the best modern way to play Black Flag.
- It is not a new mainline entry, so it is not ranked separately.
- Its final standing depends on post-launch reception.
FAQ – Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
Is Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced a new game?
No. It is a remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, not a brand-new mainline chapter.
Why is Black Flag Resynced not ranked separately?
Because it is based on an already ranked game. It should be judged as a remake once it has been fully released and reviewed.
Assassin’s Creed II
Average Playtime: Around 19 hours
Rating: 91/100
Assassin’s Creed II is where the series truly became the Assassin’s Creed most players remember. It improved the mission design, gave the modern-day story more momentum, and introduced Ezio Auditore da Firenze.
Ezio changed everything. His story begins as a revenge tale, but grows into a journey about family, power, loss, legacy, and responsibility. He is charming, funny, arrogant, vulnerable, and easy to root for.
Renaissance Italy remains one of the best settings in the franchise. Florence, Venice, Tuscany, and Forli are beautiful, readable, and full of life. Leonardo da Vinci’s role adds a playful historical flavor without breaking the conspiracy tone.
Assassin’s Creed II ranks high because it is one of the most important sequels in gaming. It did not just continue the first game. It transformed the entire franchise.
Assassin's Creed II
Release Date: November 21, 2012
Genres: Adventure
Why It Ranks Here
- Ezio became the face of Assassin’s Creed.
- Renaissance Italy is still a brilliant setting.
- The game improves almost everything from the original.
- Monteriggioni gives progression a personal touch.
FAQ – Assassin’s Creed II
Is Assassin’s Creed II the best place to start the classic games?
Yes. It is much smoother and more varied than the first game while still introducing one of the most important stories in the series.
Why is Ezio so popular?
Ezio has a full character arc across multiple games, moving from reckless nobleman to skilled Assassin and respected leader.
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
Average Playtime: Around 15 hours
Rating: 89/100
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood takes the best parts of Assassin’s Creed II and sharpens them. Instead of spreading the adventure across several Italian locations, it focuses on Rome and turns the city into a place Ezio can reclaim from Templar influence.
The renovation system grows into a full city-rebuilding loop. Shops, landmarks, tunnels, and districts can be restored, giving exploration a clear sense of progress.
The Brotherhood system is the biggest addition. Ezio recruits Assassins, sends them on missions, and calls them into combat or stealth encounters. It perfectly matches the story, because Ezio is no longer just an avenger. He is a leader.
Brotherhood ranks above Assassin’s Creed II for gameplay. The story is less dramatic, but the systems are tighter, faster, and more satisfying.
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Release Date: March 17, 2011
Genres: Puzzle, Adventure
Why It Ranks Here
- It perfects much of the classic Ezio formula.
- Rome is satisfying to reclaim district by district.
- The Brotherhood system fits the story and gameplay.
- Execution streaks make combat faster and flashier.
FAQ – Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
Is Brotherhood better than Assassin’s Creed II?
For gameplay, yes. Assassin’s Creed II has the stronger origin story, but Brotherhood has tighter systems and better city control.
Can you recruit Assassins in Brotherhood?
Yes. Recruiting and managing Assassins is one of the game’s defining features.
Assassin’s Creed Origins
Average Playtime: Around 30 hours
Rating: 85/100
Assassin’s Creed Origins is the franchise’s decisive shift from stealth-action adventure to action RPG. After Syndicate, the series needed a reset, and Origins delivered one by changing combat, progression, loot, exploration, and quest structure.
Bayek of Siwa is one of the strongest protagonists in the series. He is warm, angry, tragic, funny, and deeply human. His relationship with Aya gives the story emotional weight, while their journey explains the foundation of the Hidden Ones.
Egypt is a spectacular open world. Deserts, temples, tombs, pyramids, rivers, and cities make the map feel huge but varied. The world also has a quieter, older atmosphere than many other entries.
Origins ranks high because it saved the franchise from repetition and gave it a new identity for the modern era.
Assassin's Creed Origins
Release Date: October 27, 2017
Genres: Adventure, Role-playing (RPG)
Why It Ranks Here
- It successfully reinvents the series as an action RPG.
- Bayek is one of the best protagonists in Assassin’s Creed.
- Egypt is beautiful and atmospheric.
- Its systems became the foundation for Odyssey and Valhalla.
FAQ – Assassin’s Creed Origins
Is Assassin’s Creed Origins an RPG?
Yes. Origins introduced levels, loot, skill trees, hitbox combat, and a larger quest-driven structure.
Is Bayek important to Assassin’s Creed lore?
Yes. Bayek’s story explains the creation of the Hidden Ones, the group that later becomes the Assassin Brotherhood.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Average Playtime: Around 61 hours
Rating: 84/100
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla pushes the RPG direction even further. After Egypt and Greece, the series moves to Norway and England during the Viking Age. You play as Eivor, a Norse warrior trying to build a new home while getting pulled into Hidden Ones business.
Valhalla is massive. It has raids, alliances, settlement building, gear upgrades, world events, mythological arcs, and huge regions to explore. For players who want a long open-world RPG, it offers a lot.
Ravensthorpe is one of the game’s strongest ideas. The settlement gives Eivor a home base that grows over time, making exploration and alliances feel connected to the clan’s future.
The downside is pacing. Valhalla can feel too large for its own good, and the regional structure sometimes slows the main story. Even so, it remains one of the richest games in the franchise.
Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
Release Date: November 10, 2020
Genres: Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Why It Ranks Here
- It delivers a huge Viking-era RPG experience.
- Ravensthorpe gives progression a strong home base.
- Raids and alliances fit the setting well.
- Its size can be impressive but exhausting.
FAQ – Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Is Assassin’s Creed Valhalla longer than Odyssey?
For the main story, yes. Valhalla is one of the longest mainline Assassin’s Creed games.
Does Valhalla focus more on Vikings or Assassins?
It focuses more on the Viking fantasy, although the Hidden Ones and Order of the Ancients remain important to the story.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Average Playtime: Around 33 hours
Rating: 81/100
Assassin’s Creed Shadows finally takes the series to feudal Japan, one of the most requested settings in the franchise. Set during the late Sengoku period, it follows two protagonists: Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a powerful samurai.
The dual-protagonist structure is the game’s biggest strength. Naoe is built around stealth, darkness, parkour, tools, and infiltration. Yasuke is built around direct combat, armor, blocking, parrying, and heavier weapons.
This gives Shadows a strong identity. When playing as Naoe, the game reconnects with classic stealth in a way some RPG-era entries did not. When playing as Yasuke, it leans into the samurai power fantasy without forcing both characters to feel the same.
The open world benefits from the Japan setting, with castles, shrines, villages, ports, changing seasons, and reactive weather. Shadows ranks high because it bridges classic stealth and modern RPG scale better than many expected.
Assassin's Creed Shadows
Release Date: March 20, 2025
Genres: Adventure, Role-playing (RPG)
Why It Ranks Here
- It finally brings the series to feudal Japan.
- Naoe and Yasuke offer meaningfully different playstyles.
- Stealth has a stronger role than in some recent entries.
- It connects modern open-world design with older Assassin fantasy.
FAQ – Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Can you play both Naoe and Yasuke in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?
Yes. Shadows uses two protagonists with different strengths, letting players switch between stealth-focused shinobi gameplay and heavier samurai combat.
Is Assassin’s Creed Shadows closer to classic AC or the RPG games?
It is a mix of both. The world and progression follow the RPG-era style, but Naoe’s stealth gameplay brings it closer to classic Assassin’s Creed.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Average Playtime: Around 45 hours
Rating: 83/100
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey fully embraces the action RPG formula that Origins introduced. Set during the Peloponnesian War, it lets players choose between Kassandra and Alexios and explore a huge version of ancient Greece.
Odyssey is the most RPG-like game in the series. It has dialogue choices, romance options, branching quest outcomes, mercenaries, gear builds, ship combat, conquest battles, ability trees, and a vast world full of islands and ruins.
The combat is expressive once builds start coming together. You can focus on warrior damage, stealth assassinations, archery, elemental effects, or hybrid setups. It is not the purest Assassin’s Creed experience, but it is one of the most replayable.
Odyssey ranks first because it offers the best overall mix of scale, freedom, progression, exploration, combat, and long-term replay value.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Release Date: October 05, 2018
Genres: Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Why It Ranks Here
- It is the most complete RPG-era Assassin’s Creed.
- Ancient Greece is huge, colorful, and rewarding to explore.
- Build variety gives combat and stealth more replay value.
- It offers the strongest mix of freedom, story, and progression.
FAQ – Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Is Assassin’s Creed Odyssey the best RPG-style AC game?
For many players, yes. It has the strongest mix of exploration, builds, choices, combat, naval travel, and replay value.
Should you play as Kassandra or Alexios?
Both are playable, but Kassandra is widely treated as the stronger and more natural lead for the story.
Which Assassin’s Creed games rank highest?
Final thoughts
Assassin’s Creed has changed dramatically since 2007. It began as a stealth-action series built around parkour, investigation, and assassinations, then grew into one of the biggest open-world RPG franchises in gaming.
If you want the best classic experience, Assassin’s Creed II and Brotherhood are still essential. If you want pirate freedom, Black Flag remains a landmark, with Black Flag Resynced positioned as the modern way back into that adventure. If you want the RPG era at its strongest, Odyssey still stands at the top.